The Maharashtra government has taken a major step toward resolving Mumbai Police's long-standing housing crisis by announcing the formation of a high-level committee to study and implement the ambitious Mumbai Police Housing Township Project. The initiative aims to provide residential accommodation to more than 45,000 constables and officers across the city.
According to a Government Resolution (GR) issued on Friday, the 15-member committee, headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Iqbal Singh Chahal, will examine various aspects of the project and submit its recommendations. The panel includes key officials such as Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, BMC Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Additional Chief Secretary Ashwini Bhide, and senior representatives from the Public Works, Housing, Finance, and Planning departments, along with the Managing Director of the Police Housing Corporation and district collectors of Mumbai City and Suburban districts.
Under the proposed plan, 75 plots across the metropolis have been earmarked for the construction of modern police housing complexes. The project envisions homes for 40,000 constabulary personnel, 5,000 sub-inspectors and inspectors, and senior officers.
As per the GR, a police sub-inspector will be allotted a 45 sq. m. flat, while senior officers will be eligible for units ranging from 60 sq. m. to 120 sq. m. and above, depending on rank and service category.
The initiative comes in response to the acute shortage of official quarters for the city's police force. Currently, Mumbai Police - one of India's oldest and most prestigious law enforcement agencies, established in 1856 - has a sanctioned strength of 51,308 personnel, but only 19,762 residential quarters are available, all of which are occupied. Of these, nearly 17,000 units are small, measuring between 100 and 300 sq. ft., and situated in aging British-era structures.
This scarcity has forced almost half of the police personnel to commute 80-100 km daily from distant suburbs and neighboring districts such as Karjat, Kasara, Raigad, and Palghar. Officials have long pointed out that these long and exhausting commutes affect both punctuality and morale within the force.
Police Commissioner Deven Bharti recently reiterated the administration's commitment to improving living conditions, stating that efforts are underway to ensure that constables receive 500 sq. ft. housing units upon joining the service.
The new housing township project, backed by the state's home department, is seen as a transformative move to enhance work-life balance, operational efficiency, and welfare of Mumbai's police personnel - the frontline guardians of India's financial capital, home to over 1.3 crore residents.